Front Royal Honors Fallen Heroes in 2025 Memorial Day Ceremony

Under cloudy skies and with deep reverence, the Front Royal community gathered on Memorial Day to pay tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States. The 2025 Memorial Day Commemoration, held on the Courthouse lawn in downtown Front Royal, was a powerful reminder of the cost of freedom and the duty of the living to remember the fallen.

Skip Rogers, a U.S. Army veteran and Executive Director of the Able Forces Foundation, welcomed the community to the Memorial Day ceremony.

The ceremony began with Skip Rogers, a U.S. Army veteran and Executive Director of the Able Forces Foundation, stepping in for Lt. Col. Rob McDougall, who was unexpectedly called away for overseas piloting duties. In true military fashion, Rogers likened himself to the executive officer filling in for the commanding officer, adding a touch of humor before setting a solemn and respectful tone for the day.

“We gather today to acknowledge, remember, and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country,” Rogers said, emphasizing that Memorial Day is far more than just a long weekend. “It’s a necessary pause to reinforce their selflessness that will not be forgotten.”

Pastor Marc Roberson of Riverton Church offered the opening invocation, a prayer that reminded the crowd that while the fallen may be gone from this world, their sacrifice endures as a call for peace, unity, and gratitude.

Following the prayer, Scout Troop 52 posted the colors. Sisters Ella and Lainey Clark then delivered a heartfelt rendition of the national anthem, setting a poignant tone for the rest of the program.

Ella and Lainey Clark perform the national anthem.

A number of local dignitaries were recognized for their presence and continued support, including Delegate Delores Oates, Sheriff Crystal Cline, members of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, and Councilman Glenn Wood. Special recognition was given to Malcolm Barr Sr., who, at age 92, remains the driving force behind reviving Front Royal’s Memorial Day commemoration 13 years ago.

Marine Corps veteran Dave Long delivers a powerful address, drawing from his combat experience in Afghanistan to share a message of reflection and resilience.

The centerpiece of the ceremony was a moving address by Marine Corps veteran Dave Long. A Bentonville resident, Long served as an infantry officer and completed two deployments to Afghanistan. Speaking with quiet strength, Long drew from personal experience to deliver a message both sobering and inspiring.

Quoting the final lines of Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses, Long said, “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” He urged those gathered to live lives of purpose in honor of those who could not, calling on all Americans to raise strong families, lead in their communities, and stand firm in the face of adversity.

Long’s words turned personal as he shared the story of Staff Sergeant Chris Slutman, a fellow Marine who died in Afghanistan. Inside Slutman’s barracks, Long found a notebook with a final message that reflected deep wisdom and peace. “Even death is not to be feared by one who lived wisely,” Slutman had written. “For those of us who remain, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the memories shall never die.”

Riley Taylor sang “Amazing Grace.”

The crowd stood in solemn silence as Scout Troop 52 retired the colors and Riley Taylor sang a stirring rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

In a moving tribute, the ceremony also honored Private First Class Roger Kidwell, a Front Royal native who died in Vietnam in 1970 at the age of 20. A member of the U.S. Army’s 11th Light Infantry Brigade, PFC Kidwell, was killed in action while protecting his platoon during an ambush in Quang Ngai Province. His name is etched in memory both locally at the town’s memorial and nationally on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Local State Representative Delores Oates (below) placed the wreath at the memorial to Warren County and Front Royal’s war dead, accompanied by Scout Troop 52, which presented and retired the colors. Photos by Roger Bianchini. Video by Mark Williams.

Pastor Roberson returned to close the ceremony with a benediction, asking for God’s blessing on the fallen, their families, and all who continue to serve.

Skip Rogers concluded the event with words of reflection and a challenge to those present. “Cherish each day of the freedom that these brave men and women have provided us,” he said. “And do what you can to make sure our community, our state, and our country remain places with ideals worth defending.”

As attendees slowly filed out, many stayed behind to reflect at the memorial wall or speak quietly with neighbors, veterans, and family members of the fallen. In a time when distractions are many, Front Royal’s Memorial Day service served its purpose well: to remember, to honor, and to reaffirm the values that those lost died defending.